A 46-year-old man had been refused bail at Newtownards Magistrates Court, charged with four counts of attempted murder during a “mad frenzy”.

Matthew James Kane appeared in the dock wearing grey prison-issue sweat shirt and sweat pants and flanked by two prison guards to face the charges.

He is charged with the Mother’s Day attack of four people in which one man had his throat slashed and another was left with a slice wound across his face from mouth to ear. It is understood the injury was caused by the blade of a Stanley knife.

Four people sustained serious injuries on Sunday during an altercation in Saintfield, Co Down.

The court heard how Kane had been babysitting three children in his ex-partner’s home when he tried on a number of occasions to contact her on her mobile phone.

On the final call the phone was answered and the line left open.

A police officer told the court Kane had confirmed he had listened to the sounds coming from his ex-partner’s phone for an hour and a half.

He added that Kane then left the house with the children sleeping inside and went to the other property where he allegedly saw his ex partner with another man.

Matt Kane arriving at Newtownards Courthouse in a police van

He added: “A woman at the house told him, ‘You cannot come in here, there’s no Laura here'.”

The officer continued: “[Kane] grabbed [her] by the head and trailed her out of the house with a Stanley knife in his hand.”

He added that the woman’s son and another male approached Kane and a fight ensued.

One of the men sustained a slash wound to his throat measuring four inches long and two inches deep.

The constable told the court: “We’ve been told that if it had been any deeper it would have cut his voice box and could have left him unable to speak.

“Then a neighbour came to see what was going on. He was assaulted with a golf club. [Kane] punched the man with a Stanley knife in his hand and the man was slashed from ear to mouth.”

The court heard how Kane then drove off and presented to police seven and a half hours later after a visit to hospital.

The detective constable said the suspect had told police he had been concerned about his ex partner who he claimed was on medication and had been drinking.

He also told police that the woman who had answered the door of the property had hit him with a golf club.

The accused man told the PSNI that one of the men had initially had the Stanley knife had been dropped.

The scene of the incident in Saintfield

The officer said: “[Kane] said he picked up the knife and swung out in self defence saying, ‘Do you see what I have in my hand?’."

The court heard that the injured parties had confirmed they had hit Kane with a golf club in an attempt to get him to go away. The officer added: “They said they thought (Kane) had some sort of padding under his jacket but that’s not conclusive either way.”

The officer added he objected to Kane being bailed to prevent future offences and said: “He’d gone on a mad frenzy here.”

He also told the court Kane had disposed of his mobile phone before presenting to police and had removed the battery and sim card and the phone had not been recovered by police despite a thorough search.

The officer also said Kane had transferred £720 from his bank account to his brother’s bank account, the police supposed in an attempt to ensure police could not trace his movements from cash withdrawals.

The court heard Kane had also changed his clothes prior to contacting police. His solicitor said: “Some of the situation took place in the garden and it was mucky.”

Kane went to Antrim Area Hospital for treatment after the incident and presented with cuts and bruises to his face, arm and legs but no other wounds.

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“I cam concerned by the apparent manic level of violence used. I am concerned by the disposal of the mobile phone. I am concerned by the transfer of money to his brother’s account.

“I am concerned about frenzied level of violence and there can be no risk of a repeat. Bail is refused.”

Kane is further charged with possession of an article with a point or a blade in a public place, possession of an offensive weapon with intent, committing an indictable offence, two counts of criminal damage, theft and driving without a licence.